Dueling Pop Culture

While working on this quest I realized how many different forms of pop culture are present in my life, and the different messages that I’m subconsciously and consciously receiving. With that being said I’m choosing to focus on television shows that I frequently watch, that send conflicting messages

 The first television show that I’m going to focus on is Breaking Bad. Breaking Bad is one of my favorite T.V shows and also is one of the best shows that I’ve ever watched. This show is a perfect example of (as Steven Johnson would call it) “the rise of the anti-hero” The show is about an average school chemistry teacher, Walter White being forced to cook meth as a last resort in order to support his family. This show affects me because not only does selling meth and being a criminal go against my morals, but also I find myself completely sympathizing with Walter and his situation. As I’m watching the show I’m constantly asking myself what I would do if I were in that situation.  Another character who I relate to in the show is Walter’s partner Jessie Pinkman. Jessie is a meth addict and a criminal who does lots of bad things throughout the show, but ultimately he is a good person, talk about conflicting messages.  The whole show I support what he does even if it is bad, because he has a good heart and ultimately strives to do better for himself.             

Even thought Breaking Bad is just a fictional T.V show I found myself asking a very serious question. What if all criminals were like these characters on this show? What if criminals are just good people that get caught up in these impossible situations? I couldn’t stop thinking about this. This again goes back to the book Everything That is Bad is Good for You, and how pop culture is making us smarter, some of these shows make us think critically about stuff that may not normally occur to us.

            Now on a lighter note there are two other shows that I am obsessed with for completely different reason than Breaking Bad.  I love watching the shows Keeping up With the Kardshians and Jersey Shore. A lot of people would consider this trash T.V, and I to a certain extent feel the same, but I cant stop watching it. I love watching Keeping up with the Kardashians and imagining what it would ne like to have money and that type of lifestyle. I love watching the drama that unfolds between the sisters and the people they come into contact with. It is so entertaining this show defiantly appeals to my fantasies and the type of life I wish I could have. Jersey Shore however I watch for a different reason although I do admit that part of the reason I watch this show is too feel better about myself, I love saying wow I would never do that! Or can you believe how embarrassing that is?! But I think I do actually relate to the characters on Jersey Shore, I think that everyone does on some level because they are just normal people and I think that part of what makes the show so addicting. Since most of us don't like the Kardashians I think it is nice to be able to watch characters on a reality show who are real people who make real mistakes.

 I think that it is very interesting how I can have such different tastes in television shows, but I think it is even more interesting how I have a different reasons for why I watch the shows and how each of the appeal to me in different ways.